Windmill tower



United States Patent ()fiFice 3,669,226 Patented July 30, 1963 3,699,220 WINDMILL TOWER Louis S. Butrnan, Rte. 4, Box 85, Merltel, Tex. Filed Oct. 3%), 1962, Ser. No. 234,622 6 Claims. cl. roe-es This invention relates to a windmill tower and relates more particularly to a tower to be supported above a well sunk within the ground having means to operate a pump for withdrawing water from the well and means to service the well when the pump is not in use.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a windmill tower having a service arm capable of being brought into vertical alignment with the well and means supported by the arm for servicing the well.

A further object of the instant invention is the provision of a device of the character described wherein the means for servicing the well and the windmill are supported on opposite ends of a horizontally extending cross bar which may be rotated to vertically align either means with the well.

Another object of this invention is to provide a windmill tower supporting both the windmill and means to service the well and being capable of moving both elements out of alignment with the well so that other independent service rigs may be located over the well.

A further object of this invention is the provision of such a tower wherein the means for servicing the well defines a vertically extending opening and includes a block and tackle to remove the well casing from the well and support it in an upright position through the opening.

Other and further objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and details of construction to be set forth further hereinafter.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein there are disclosed preferred embodiments of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational View, partly broken away for illustrative convenience, showing a preferred embodiment of the windmill tower of the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan View taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectionall view of the support for the windmill taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a support for the servicing means taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail and more particularly to FIGURE 1, the windmill tower of the instant invention is indicated generally at and is comprised of a vertically extending standard 12 secured in a concrete base 14 and preferably formed of a hollow steel cylinder. A cross bar, indicated generally at 16, is comprised of a central T member 18 having a downwardly extending cylindrical arm 20 shown in FIGURE 1 as having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the standard 12 so that it may be rotatably fitted in the top thereof. Two outwardly extending hollow cylindrical arms 22 and 24 of the T-mernber 18 support internally a service arm 26 and a windmill arm 28, respectively. It

it to be understood that the latter two arms can be fixed to the T-member 18 in any conventional manner.

Adjacent the end of the service arm 26 is a service sup port element 30 having outstanding flanges 32 and 34 fixed to the service arm 26 in any conventional manner as by welding or the like. A hook 36 may be supported by a rod 38 extending over a hole 40 through the service support element 30. Note particularly FIGURES l, 2, and 4. The rod 38 can be secured to the upper flange member 3-2 at its ends or it can be merely placed thereover so that it may be easily removed. A block and tackle (not shown) may be fixed to the hook 36 in any conventional manner and will be used in a manner to be disclosed hereinafter.

A T member (not shown) having an arm fitting within or externally of the end of the service arm 26 with a vertically extending hole similar to hole 46 may replace the service support element 30.

Secured to the end of the windmill arm 28 is a windmill support element 42 similar to the service support element 30, but having an upper platform 44 fixed thereto. A portion 46 of the platform 4'4 and a lower flange member 48 are secured to the windmill arm 28. Obviously, a T member similar to that described hereinbefore with reference to the service support element 341* could be substituted for thewindmill support element 42.

A vertically extending hole 56 is defined in the windmill member 42 and the platform 44 to allow a vertically extending pump rod 5 2 to pass therethrough. The pump rod 52 extends from a windmill indicated generally at 54- to a pump (not shown) Within a well indicated generally at 56.

The windmill 54 is supported by legs 58 and has a propeller or the like 66 responsive to the wind and means (not shown) to translate the rotary action of the propeller 60 into reciprocatory action of the pump rod 52 to withdraw water from the well 56 and pass the same through a conduit or the like 62 to any desired location.

The well 56 is comprised of a pipe-like casing 64 extending into the ground 66 to a source of water (not shown) and extending above the ground to a point sufficient to avoid the entrance of any foreign matter such as dirt or the like into the well 56. A horizontally extending bracket 68' may detachably secure the casing 64 to the standard 12 in any well known manner.

A ladder 68 may be fixed to the standard 12 by any conventional means such as indicated generally at 70 to assist an operator in mounting the windmill tower to rotate the cross bar 16 in a manner and for a purpose to be described further hereinafter. A platform 72 having reinforcing means 74 may also be provided for the convenience of the operator. 1

A set screw or the like 76 will fix the relationship of the cross bar 16 to the standard 12 when the same is rotated and it is to be understood that the cross bar .16 can be set at any desired angle with respect to a plane between the standard 12 and the well 56. Other stop means such as a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes (not shown) through the top of the standard 12 and the arm 20 of the T member 18 may be provided to assist in stopping the cross bar 16 in a definite relationship with regard to the standard 12. For example, four such holes may be provided spaced ninety degrees from each other so that the windmill tower may be quickly and easily fixed in the position shown in FIGURE 1 or in any position having the cross bar 16 rotated by ninety degree increments.

The standard 12 may have an outstanding lug 78 in the portion sunk within the concrete 14 to assist in supporting the windmill tower 10 against any forces which will be set up from operation of the windmill 54 or any elements to be supported on the service arm 26. It is to be under- 3 stood that although this lug is shown as relatively short in FIGURES l and 5, it could be extended all the way over to the well 56, if desired.

The well casing 64 and the pump rod 52 are formed in sections and may be disconnected by unscrewing certain joints such as indicated generally at 84 on pump rod 52 and 82 on well casing 64.

The use and operation of the windmill tower of the instant invention will now be apparent. With the well casing 64 connected as shown in FIG. 1 and supported by the bracket 68 to the standard 12 and the pump rod 52 connected to the windmill 54 at one end and to the pump (not shown) at its other end, water may be withdrawn from the well 56 and passed through the conduit 62 to any desired location. When it is necessary to service the well 56 or clean the same, the pump rod 52 may be disconnected at one of its joints Sit and the well casing 64 may be disconnected at one of its joints 82. Then the set screw 76 may be loosened to allow the cross bar 16 to be rotated approximately 180 from the position shown in FIGURE 1 so that the block and tackle (not shown) supported on the hook 36 may be used to pull the pump rod 52 and the well casing 64 from the well 56. II" desired, the cross bar 16 can then be rotated another ninety degrees to allow an independent service rig (not shown) to be stationed over the well 56 for any additional cleaning or servicing procedures.

When all of the servicing is complete, the block and tackle may be used to again lower the pump rod 52 into operative engagement with the pump (not shown) and the Well casing 65 may be again secured in the position shown in FIG. 1. Then the cross bar 16 may be rotated about its mounting with the standard arm '12 to return it to the position of FIGURE 1 and the joints till may be reconnected to actuate the pump by the windmill 54.

While the hook 36 has been shown as mounted through the hole 40 in the service support element 311, it is to be understood that the block and tackle could be hooked on the outside of the service support element St in any conventional manner to assist in allowing the casing 6 and the pump rod 52 to be withdrawn through the hole it to maintain the same in an upright position thereby assisting in supporting these elements.

Other modifications of the device of the instant invention may be made without departing from the inventive concept. For example, the windmill 54 may be supported directly over the standard 12 and operating linkages may be extended outwardly to a position directly over the well 56 to be connected to the pump rod 52 for operating the aforementioned pump. With such a modification it would not be necessary to be able to rotate the service arm 26 in order to service the well 56 since the service arm 26 could be maintained in the position of the windmill arm 28 of FIGURE 1 so that it would always be ready for servicing the well 56.

It will now be seen that there is herein provided a device which accomplishes all of the objects of the instant invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and since many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A windmill tower for operating and servicing a well having a vertically extending casing and a pump therein for withdrawing water therefrom comprising, in combination, a vertically extending elongated standard having a top and a bottom, means for securing said standard adjacent a bottom, a horizontally extending cross bar having two ends and being rotatably mounted on the top of said standard completely annularly thereabcut, a windmill supported by said cross bar upon one end thereof, pump rod means operatively connecting said windmill to said pump through said one end of said cnoss bar, means supported by siad cross bar for servicing said well, and means for vertically aligning said last-mentioned means with said well.

2. A windmill tower in accordance with claim 1 wherein said standard is horizontally spaced from said well and said cross bar is rotatably mounted on the top of said standard medially of the ends thereof, said windmill and said means for servicing said well being supported by oppositely extending ends of said cross bar at positions horizontally spaced from said standard approximately the same distance that said standard is spaced from said well.

3. A windmill tower in accordance with claim 2 wherein stop means are provided to fix the angular position of said cross bar with relation to a plane passing through said standard and said well.

4. A Windmill tower in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for servicing said well includes a block and tackle.

5. A windmill tower in accordance with clairn 2 wherein said casing and said pump rod means are each formed in detachable sections and wherein said cross bar has means adjacent one end thereof defining a vertically extending hole for passage of said pump rod means, and means adjacent the opposite end thereof defining a vertically extending hole for support of said casing and said pump rod means.

6. A Windmill tower in accordance with clairn'l wherein said standard has a vertically extending ladder fixed thereto and a horizontally extending platform secured adjacent its top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,076,251 Vaught Oct. 21, 1913 2,057,137 Culbertson Oct. 13, 1936 2,821,311 Screws Jan. 28, 1958 

1. A WINDMILL TOWER FOR OPERATING AND SERVICING A WELL HAVING A VERTICALLY EXTENDING CASING AND A PUMP THEREIN FOR WITHDRAWING WATER THEREFROM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A VERTICALLY EXTENDING ELONGATED STANDARD HAVING A TOP AND A BOTTOM, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID STANDARD ADJACENT A BOTTOM, A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING CROSS BAR HAVING TWO ENDS AND BEING ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE TOP OF SAID STANDARD COMPLETELY ANNULARLY THEREABOUT, A WINDMILL SUPPORTED BY SAID CROSS BAR UPON ONE END THEREOF, PUMP ROD MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID WINDMILL TO SAID PUMP THROUGH SAID ONE END OF SAID CROSS BAR, MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID CROSS BAR FOR SERVICING SAID WELL, AND 